Weft-detector for looms.



H. RYON. OF WALTHAM, MASSACUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON &, KNOWLES LOOM OF T/VORCESTER. MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

WEET-DETECTOR FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Apr. 3, 191'?.

Application filed August 2, 1915. Serial No. 43.089.

.the Vfollowing is a specification.

invention relates to a iveft detector for looms and particularly to thattype of weit detector designed for determining the l sul ftaiitial exhaustion of weft upon-.the weft er or bobbin in the active shuttle of a sti-called feeler loom.

devised.

"'lhis type of loom is used for weaving fabrics of the better grades'in which .the OC- currence of incomplete picks of weft or till- It has been heretofore ing is objectionable. lnopo'sed to prevent such defects by causing the weft carried in the `active shuttle; tol be replaced by a fresh carrier before the weft or lilling is entirely exhaustedtherefrom, and to attain this result various forms of 'i detecting devices or feelers have been lany of these devices are designed to ina fresh weft carrier when the carrier in u,... reduced to a predetermined minimum diameter. Another forni of detector mechanism operates in conjunction with a slotted bobbin. tliefeeler passing through the slot in the bobbin after the slot is uncovered by the substantial exhaustion ofthe weft. This form of feeler has been found more reliable than the form first described but requires a inicial bobbin. a specialshuttle, and a special transf-er mechanism as the bobbin is rily positionedaind held in the shut-- ile `with the slot always in horizontal positio is the general object of my invention to provide an improved form of weft detector or feeler which shall retain'all of the advantages of the slotteddiobbin type, whileV at the same time attaining simplicity7 of construction and increased reliability in opera tion.

`With this object in view one important feature of my invention relates to the provision of a plurality of detecting members each independently movable and each adapted to enter some one of a series of spaced ioles or openings formed in the cylindrical barrel portion of a weft carrier or bobbin. The several weft "detecting members are maintained normally in a position to render -an actuating device operative to cause the insertion of a fresh weft carrier. So long as the 'holes of the bobbin are covered by the weft or filling the detecting` members will be moved forward as the bobbin approaches its forward limit of travel and will 'thus be carried out of the path of the actuating device. When the device is used with large bobbins having thick walls, it may be unnecessary to cut the holes lo entirely through tlie'wall of the barrel.

are intended to cover any hole, opening or recess 1n thewall of the bobbin ofsuiiicient depth to serve the purposes hereinafter described, whether or not'the opening extends- 4or rear position where they are engaged by the actuating` device and render it operative. Further features of my invention relate to certain arrangemeiits. and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred forni of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my iniproved weft detector;

Fig.. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig.- 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view tali'en along the line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 isa front elevation partly in section, the section being taken along the line 4% in Fig. 2. and

Fig. 5 yis a development of the cylindrical barrel portion of the bobbin.

Referring to the drawings, I have indicated'a shuttle 10 having a slot 11 formed in the front'side thereof and having a bobbin 12- secured therein by the usual shuttle spring 13. The bobbin 12 is provided with a butt 14e engaging the spring 13 and also with a holloiv cylindrical barrel portion 15 adjacent said butt 14a A plurality of radial holes 16 are formed in the barrelv portion 15, extending through the cylindrical walls into the innerl recess of the bobbin, and angularly spaced with relation to each other as shown l Accordingly, the v avords vhole and opening as herein used may vobviously be varied by adjusting the threaded rod 33 within the portion 34 ofveo in Ifigi, reference to which figure will show that the holes 16 are so disposed that one or more of them -will intercept any axial -line which can be drawn along the periphery of the barrel 15.

To cooperate with the holes 16 in the bobi-bin 12, I provide a plurality of detecting members 20, which are shown in'Fig. 3 as having the form of U-shaped rods mounted to slide longitudinally in a detector slide 21. T he rods 20 are of much smaller diameter than the holes 16 and are so positioned that any hole 16 located in .the horizontal plane'- of the rods 20 will be engaged and entered by one of the rods 20. Each rod 20 is connected to a' separate bar 22 mounted to slide in one of a series of grooves formed in an arched projection 23 extending upwardly` from the slide 21. The rods 20 and the bars 22 are 'normally maintained in -their eX- treme outer or right hand positions, as

viewed in Fig. 3, by a swinging plate 24 pivoted at 25 to the slide 21andforced against the bars 22 by a spring-pressedplunger 26.

The slide 21 is itself mountedfor longitudinal movement in a stand 27 pivoted at 28 to a bracket 29v rigidly secured to the.

loom frame by suitable fastenings '(not shown).

Vertical adjustmentof the detecting members 20 with reference to the bobbin 12 is attained by means of an adjusting screw 30 .threaded to they bracket'29 and engaging the portion 34 of the stand 27 and which isv provided with a shoulder 35 which engages a lug 36 projecting downwardly from the slide 21. At its left hand end the 4red, 33

enters a cylindrical bearing recess 37 also formed in the stand 27. l

The spring 32 engages the lug 36 and nor mally forces the slide 21 to the right until the lug engages the shoulder 35 on the rod 33. The normal position of the slide 21 the stand 27.

Vhile a fresh bobbin is being inserted in the shuttle it is desirable that the detecting members should be moved forward, or to the left as shown in the drawings, until they are'beyond the path of. the entering bobbin. To accomplish such movement I provide a lslotted plate 40- mounted to slide upon the side of the vstand27 and having anotch 41 therein engaging a. flange 424 projecting laterallyfromvlthe slide 21. The plate 40 at its forward endis provided with lan out-turned portion 43 positioned for engagement by a roll 44 mounted upon some convenient portion of the transfer mechanism (not shown).

Then the slide 21 and the detecting members 20 are `in -their normal or right hand position the locking bars 22 extend into the path of movement of a vfloating lever 45 which forms a'part of the actuating mechanism which controls the insertion ofa fresh weft carrier or bobbm withm the active shuttle. The-lever 45 is pivoted at 46 to a rod 47 which is vertically movable iin a bearing 48 and' which may be connected for reciprocation toany convenient portion of the loom driving mechanism. At its left hand end the lever 45 'is connected by a rod 49 to the mechanism which controls the transfer devices. of my present invention and for a complete description thereof reference is made to my prior Patent No. 1,005,321, issued October- This mechanism forms no part l For the purposes of this application it is sufficient to state that the lever 45 swings freely about its connection to the lower end of the rod 49 so long .as the free movement of the .right hand end of thel lever 45 is not intercepted. Then such movement is in-y tercepted, as by one of the locking bars 22, the vlever 45 thereafter swings about its point of contact with the bar 22, thus moving the rod 49 to initiate the operation of the transfer mechanism.

In winding the bobbins for use in my im' proved feeler it is desirable to wind a small portion a of the weft or filling upon the lower end of the b'obbin and closely adjacent to the butt 14 before the regular traverse motion of the spinningframe is started in operation.

In the operation of my improved feeler, so long as the holes 16 are covered b v one or more layers of \\veft or filling the entire se ries of detecting members 20 will be forced inward or forward as the bobbin approaches its forward limit of travel, thus removing all of the locking bars from the path of the lever 45. When the weft upon the bobbin becomes-exhausted to such an' extent as to uncover the holes 16, one or lnore of these holes will be found-in alinement with one or more of the detecting members 20 and on the next forward movement of the bobbin the corresponding detecting members will pass freely through the holes 16, thus remaining in their outer positions with their locking bars 22 in the path of movement of the lever' 45, ywhich lever is thus rendered operative to control the transfer devices.

By the provision of a plurality of holes 16 spaced both longitudinally and angularly from each other and also by forming the holes 16 of greater diameter thanthe detecting members 20 it becomes impossible to so position abobbin in the shuttle that one or vmore of the holes 16 shall notk aline with cer'- siderablevariation in the position of theshuttle-ivithin the shuttle boX may bev permitted without iinpairing the accuracy in operation of the detectingmechanism.

- .Having thus described my inventionv it will be evident that changes andmodiiications can be made therein lbythose skilled in the 4art Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the claims, and l do not Wish to'be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is :e

1. A `weft detector for looms having, in combination, an actuating device controlling a transfer mechanism, aplurality of individualdetecting members each comprising a sliding rod having a portion positioned to engage the bobbin, anda second portion normally'positioned to directly engage said actuating device and. to independently render the device operative, said detecting members being separately slidable from normal position by engagement with an unexhausted weft supply on the active bobbin.

2. A weft detector for looms having, in combination, actuating device control- -ling a transfer mechanism, a plurality of individual detecting members each independently operable to indicate substantial eX-` haustioii of the weft. supply 4in the active shuttle, means independent of said members for moving said actuator, and a support for said members Whichprevents movement of said members with said actuator When -engaged thereby, said'members having por-y tionspositioned normally in the path of said actuator and directly rendering said actuator effective when engaged thereby and said members being separately and independently removable from suchl position by engage-l ment with an unexhausted weft supply in the active shuttle. j

3. A iveft detector for looms having, in combination, an actuating device controllinga transfer meclia1iism,.and a plurality of individuall detecting members each independently effective to render said actuating device operable to renew the weft supply in the active, shuttle, said members having portionsv positioned normally in the path of :iid actuator and being separately and independently removable from .operative position by engagement with an unexhausted weft supply on the active bobbin, and said bobbin having a plurality of spacedopenings therein adaptedlto coperate with said members `after the removal of the weft thereover and thereby permitting certain of said members to remain in normal position to render said actuating device operative.

4. A iveft detector for looms, comprising a plurality of independently movable detecting members each adapted to indicate absence of weft on the active bobbin, a support for said-members, means for yieldingly forcing all of said members outward toward the bobbin and anv actuating device controlling a transfer mechanism, sa\id actuating device being under the control of said detecting members and being rendered op: erative by any one of said detecting members which remains in its outward position during the extreme forward movement of the weft carrier independently, of the position of the remaining detectingmembers and of their support. f

5. A Wett detecting device having, in combination, an actuating device/a plurality' of individual detecting members, a locking tion for engagement by a'bobbiii in an active shuttle having a pluralityof holes extending radially through its cylindrical Wall, thereby permitting a detecting member entering one `of said holes to ,remain in outer position With its locking bar extending into the path of said actuating device during the extremel 7 forward movement of the bobbin.

6. A weft detector for looms having, in combination, a slide, means to ivithdranv said slide during the transfer of a fresh weft carrier, a plurality of detecting devices each independently movable in sa-id slide and each adapted'to enter one of a series of holes angularly and axially disposed in the cylindrical barrel portion of thevveft carrier, and an actuating device movable to enga ge a weft detecting member remaining in its outer position during the. extreme forward-movement of the iveft carrier and rendered operative bysuchengagement `to cause the ytransfer of a fresh weft carrier.

7. A weft` detector having, in combination, an actuating device, a detector" slide, a plurality of detecting members eac-h independently' movable' in said slide, a locking bar connected to each detecting member, and means to normally position said members and bars With a portion of each bar extending. into the path of movement of said actuating device, said members and bars being movable to inoperative position-by engagement with the bobbiii in the active shuttle and said bobbinhaving a plurality of radial holesextending through the cylindrical barrel thereof so positioned that one or more of the'detectingv members will enter said holes after thewefthas been removed .icev

lio

lia

from over said holes as the bobbin moves `actuator regularly repeated operative movements, and, means yto .render said actuator effective during l.any one ofsaid movements to operate tlie transfer mechanism, said means comprising -a plurality of independently movable weft detecting members eachl for looms comprising4 adapted to indicate absence of wett on tlie active bobbin, each of said members ivlien in normal position being effective to render said actuator operative, and being movable from normal position by engagement with an unexhausted weft supply on the active bobbim and a single yieldingly actuated member engaging all of said detecting meinbers and effective to return all displaced detecting members to normal position.

In testimony whereof I lia.ve lieieunto set my hand.

' EPPA H. RYON. 

